In addition to the excitement of the Olympics, a lot of things are happening in Vietnam and in the world of international development as well. Check out some of this week’s highlights below.
US funds Agent Orange clean-up at Da Nang airport
This week, Radio Australia ran a story on USAID’s decision to commit $40 million to clean up remains of Agent Orange, a harmful herbicide and defoliant the U.S. deployed during the Vietnam War. The Da Nang International Airport was a major depot of the toxin. Charles Bailey, director of the Aspen Institute’s Agent Orange Vietnam program, said in the interview:
It’s now 37 years after the end of the war, that’s one third of a century, but the harmful affects of dioxin contamination left by the spraying of Agent Orange is still being felt by millions in Vietnam, including children. But recent progress has created a window of opportunity for the US symbolised by this groundbreaking next week for the US to intensify its effort and ensure its commitment to reduce the public health impact in Vietnam and more and more people are understanding that Agent Orange is a humanitarian concern we can do something about.
Unlikely Vietnam considers same-sex marriage
Vietnam has often been criticized by the international community for its poor human rights record, but in a surprise move, Vietnamese officials have announced that they are considering legalizing same-sex marriage by amending the current definition of marriage. Whether or not Vietnam actually goes through with legalizing same-sex marriage is a long time coming, however. Officials will still be conducting public opinion polls, and the new legislation has not yet been drafted. If it goes through, Vietnam would be the first Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage.
Donated medical equipment inappropriate for developing countries, report shows
A new report in medical journal The Lancet (registration or purchase required) finds that 40% of medical equipment in developing countries is out of service, as compared to 1% in developed countries. The report authors attribute this to “inappropriate deployment of medical technologies from wealthy countries.” The authors assert that oftentimes, the medical equipment developed in wealthy nations are unsuitable to local conditions, and can be costly or dangerous for underdeveloped to use. Rather than hand-me-downs, they suggest, it would be more effective to develop “frugal technologies” more accommodating to local conditions. Examples of frugal technologies include the eRanger, a durable motorbike-stretcher-ambulance; the Uniject injection system, which helps avoid needle contamination; and the Jaipur foot, a type of rubber prosthetic. Ultimately, the report authors call for more localized perspectives and innovation in the medical equipment field.
The Vietnam Education Foundation (VEF) is a special U.S. initiative to promote educational and cultural exchange between America and Vietnam. Dr. Isaac F. Silvera, a Berkeley-trained physicist now teaching at Harvard, was recently appointed chairman of the board. Along with Dr. Silvera, Anhlan Nguyen, of the Vietnamese Culture and Science Association, and Diep Vuong, of International Children’s Assistance Network, were also appointed to the board. Congratulations to everyone!
Indonesia, Vietnam grow healthcare market
Indonesia and Vietnam are both looking to grow their health markets. This article notes:
Frost & Sullivan’s “South East Asian Emerging Markets – Indonesia and Vietnam Healthcare Outlook 2012,” finds that Indonesia and Vietnam have drastically increased their healthcare spending and aim to modernize healthcare infrastructure by 2020. The countries are working to expand and invest in all segments of healthcare – healthcare information technology, medical imaging, medical devices, pharmaceutical and biotechnology.
With increase in communicable and non-communicable diseases, changes in health insurance patterns and favorable investment policies, the healthcare sector presents strong growth opportunities in Indonesia and Vietnam.
“The countries are working to reduce outflow of medical tourists from their country to neighboring Asian countries due to lack of quality and timely services,” said Frost & Sullivan consultant Poornima Srinivasan. “Hence the governments are revising legislations pertaining to healthcare investment and public-private partnership (PPP) models to attract more private hospitals in the country.
Photo by Flickr user robertlafond2009 (Creative Commons)